


In Every Scenario

by yellow_sunrise



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood Friends, F/M, Female Friendship, Gen, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-25 02:57:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14369415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellow_sunrise/pseuds/yellow_sunrise
Summary: Barry never grew up with Iris, but they never forgot each other.





	In Every Scenario

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Seeker45](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seeker45/gifts).



> This is dedicated to Seeker45 who asked for this scenario. I didn't even mean to accept a prompt but I started thinking about it, so I just ended up writing it.

He was running late again as usual, the perfect irony of his life. But Barry’s friends had long since gotten used to his habits. When he finally got to the bar, he spotted Eddie, who waved him over excitedly.

“Barry you made it!” he cried, waving his arms wildly.

“Eddie man, how are you?” Barry asked, pulling Eddie into a hug. Eddie clapped Barry’s shoulder and brought him close to the group, smiling.

“I’m good Barry, how’s Keystone?”

“Boring, compared to Central. You guys are having a lot of issues with these metahumans. I’m surprised you’re even allowed to have a night out,” Barry told him. 

“Yeah it’s hard work, but someone’s gotta do it.” Eddie said.

“Are you going to introduce us to your friend, Eddie?” An pretty Asian woman asked. She was sitting in a bar stool, tucked closely to another woman, who was downing a shot and winced as it burned down her throat. Barry took in her brown skin, nearly black eyes and was sure that he knew her, but Eddie was answering the Asian woman.

“Linda, this is Barry Allen. We met in Keystone and we’re pals, but I got transferred and he couldn’t get away from work, but here he is! Thanks Barry!” he laughed, clearly tipsy, if not buzzed.

Linda nodded and offered her hand to shake.

“It’s nice to meet you Barry, although you’re late, by like, an hour,” she noted, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, that’s kind of my thing, sorry about that,” he apologized.

“Ah, give the guy a break Linda. He’s coming from Keystone, that place is like a gazillion miles away,” the woman next to her said, gesturing wildly. She nearly fell off her bar stool but Linda caught her and pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair.

“Calm down, bitch! I can’t carry you out of the bar! Iris!” she whined, plopping Iris’s arms onto the table and steadying her. Eddie nodded.

“Barry that’s Iris. She had a rough day at work.”

“I can still speak, Edward! And I know Barry, he was my pal first,” she slurred, wiggling her fingers at Barry. 

Eddie and Linda’s heads practically whipped around to Barry who looked just as confused.

“Wait, Iris West?” he asked tentatively. Iris grinned dazedly before nodding, her head bobbing, her loose curls covering half her face.

“Yep, that’s me! And you’re Barry Allen,” she said, reaching her hand out. Barry put his in hers, about to shake it, but she pulled him close, and engulfed him in a hug, one of her arms around his neck and the other around his waist. Barry wrapped his arms around her loosely, although when she leaned into him he nearly fell over, so he stepped closer.

“Oh, okay we’re hugging now. We’re hugging,” he nodded. Iris pulled away, but she cradled his face.

“We used to be best friends you know,” she said to the others, although she was only looking at Barry.

“No kidding, when did you move Barry?” Linda asked.

“Eleven. Some stuff happened with my family and I ended up at Iris’s house for a while but then I went to a distant cousin instead.”

“Really? Well it’s destiny then. To old friends and new, and Eddie’s birthday!” Linda cried, gesturing for another round. Barry spent the rest of the night laughing with Eddie and getting to know Linda. Iris eventually cuddled up to him and spent the night singing for Linda’s amusement and complimenting Eddie. Barry became so used to Iris’s weight by his side that he felt cold when she got up to use the restroom with Linda.

“For real Barry, how are you?” Eddie asked. Barry rested his chin in his palm.

“I’m fine Eddie. I loved my dad and I know that no one really approved that I still visited him, but I have to move on,” Barry said, rubbing his face. Eddie nodded.

“Yeah, but loss hurts Barry. Look, for the whole week you and I are gonna see the sights in Central City, and you’re gonna relax.” Eddie proclaimed.

“If you say so. So, how’d you befriend two reporters? You hate reporters.”

“Well I met Linda at a basketball game. She was talking circles around everyone else about strategy. We ended up at a karaoke bar and just hit it off. Iris just kept harassing me at crime scenes so much that I told her she needed to buy me coffee or I’d never give her anything. Naturally, she bought me coffee every time she wanted a quote,” he said shaking is head.

“Damn. She’s still persistent then,”

“Sure is. Which, I didn’t know you even knew Iris. How long did you know her?”

“Oh, not that long. I met her when I was ten. She just sat next to me in class and we just, clicked I guess,” Barry said, taking a sip of his drink, avoiding eye contact with Eddie. Eddie raised an eyebrow.

“Dude. You like her. You like Iris. Holy shit,” he dragged out the last word, his head shaking in disbelief.

“No, I liked her. We haven’t seen each other since a social worker made me leave.” he said bitterly, running hand through his hair.

“Yeah, but now she’s here. You guys are like, prime of your lifetimes. Established careers.” Eddie said. Barry looked confused.

“So?”

“So, you guys are adults. No awkward young adult shenanigans.”

“Hey, I can still be awkward,” Barry winced.

“Well luckily for you Iris is a stunning conversationalist. And you’re thirty-two Barry, just be yourself,” he said. Barry fell quiet and in the break in conversation, a pretty redhead flirted with Eddie and gave him her number. She left the bar after that and Barry watched as Eddie sighed happily.

“Is romance on the horizon for you then? I know your last break up was pretty rough but there goes a date,” Eddie wrapped an arm around Barry and razzed him affectionately.

“You know Barry, you’re seriously the coolest best friend. I mean you missed the birthday dinner but other than that, you’re my favorite for sure,” he said, clinking their glasses and taking a long gulp. Linda and Iris finally got back from the bathroom, looking refreshed and ready to start bar hopping.

“Okay, let’s settle the tab and get out of here, I wanna sing and I can only stand around in heels for so long.” Linda said. Now that he saw the girls standing up, Barry could actually see their clothes. Linda was dressed nicely in a pretty green blouse and leather pants, and practically towering in her heels. Iris, on the other hand, was in a red bodycon dress and over the knee black boots. Barry felt better about his button down and blazer. Clearly, everyone was dressed to kill tonight.

Once the tab was paid, they all walked on foot to a karaoke bar, though not the one Linda and Eddie met.

“That’s a top tier karaoke bar, and we’re definitely not sober enough to appreciate it. So we’ll slum it,” Linda said, leaning into Eddie, who kept her upright. Barry was playing a similar role for Iris, though she was much closer to him. 

She began to slow down and Barry matched his pace with hers.

“Do your feet hurt?” he asked quietly and she shook her head.

“No. But I’m gonna have an awful hangover tomorrow aren’t I?” she asked, looking up at him with the face of a woman resigned to her fate.

“Yeah, you are.” he agreed, his eyes bright with mirth. She sighed mournfully before perking up.

“Hey, can you sing?” she asked.

“Um, sorta.” he said. 

“Good. I want to challenge Linda and Eddie to a sing off but the three of us aren’t very good. If we team up we can totally win,” she said.

“Competitive aren’t you. I thought we were all just having fun?”

“Winning is fun,” she replied, gripping his arm and looking up at him. They fell silent as Linda began to cackle at something Eddie said.

“Barry?” she asked quietly, her voice small and insecure.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Why didn’t you answer my emails? When you left I emailed you every day. And you never replied. I thought that maybe you needed me like that first night, but I guess you didn’t,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

Barry was silent, unsure how to answer her at first, but he stopped and turned her toward him, his hands on her shoulders.

“I swear I wanted to talk to you Iris. I never would’ve cut you out like that. It’s just that my dad’s cousin was...angry at me, for believing in my dad. He called my dad, these awful things and we didn’t get along, so he made me delete my email and I’m so sorry,” he told her, his thumbs stroking her arms tenderly. She teared up as he stared at her and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“I’m glad you’re back Barry. It’s so stupid but it feels so nice to have you right here. That you didn’t forget about me,” she sighed. Barry cradled her ead and snorted.

“As if anyone could ever forget Iris West. Come on, let’s have a good night, okay?” he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist. She returned the gesture and they caught up with Eddie and Linda, healing with every step they took in the right direction.


End file.
